


Simple Logistics

by hernamewasalice



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Modern Era, Single Parents, Slice of Life, Teen Pregnancy, six year age gap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 12:34:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29776236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hernamewasalice/pseuds/hernamewasalice
Summary: Rey is a young single mom. Ben is fascinated by that.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 9
Kudos: 69





	Simple Logistics

Mom calls.

The same worker called out again and she needs him to cover - _again_.

Ben has no choice but to help his mom out. He doesn't know why his mom just doesn't fire the girl honestly. This was a pattern. Rey calls out at least once a week. Mom's too nice that's why. Mom says it's because Rey is a single mom. Ben knows his Mom feels bad about it but she can't keep someone who was unable to work. It's not practical as a business owner.

He's not exactly helping either. He's too much like his mom. Too nice. He has his own life and yet he's always here whenever his mom needs it. Ben doesn't say a word though. He doesn't want to make his Mom feel guilty about the exam he has to study.

It's embarrassing, having to work at his mom's arts and crafts shop. All of her workers and customers are female and he sticks out like a sore thumb. He's tall too which doesn't help. He doesn't even work here, he's just a lifeline whenever Mom is unable to find someone to cover for Rey. Ben has a job of his own and was one year away from going to medical school.

He doesn't know what Mom's going to do when he has to leave.

He's not talking just about the shop situation but in general. Dad's gone and when Ben leaves, Mom was going to be alone.

Ben sighed as he's forced to be contained at the registers. The other two workers are on floor duty while Mom was teaching her weekly knitting class. It's going to be a long night. He's tempted to have his textbook with him but that wasn't professional. But there was no one here though...

The phone rings and he picks up.

"Hello this is Organa's Art Store, how can I help you?" he asked, attempting to sound approachable.

"Hello?" the voice responds in confusion. It's a female voice.

"Yes, I'm here."

"Can I speak to the manager?"

Ben blinked. "She's currently teaching a class at the moment. Is there a message I can pass on?"

"This is one of her workers, Rey. I was able to find a last minute babysitter..." she's mumbling. Probably because she's nervous. "And I was wondering if I was able to come in. I know it's very inconvenient but -

"No it's completely fine," he said firmly. He wants to meet the girl he's heard so much about and have talk with her about her work ethic. Mom's too nice and he hates whenever someone takes advantage of his mother. "You can come in."

* * *

He waits for Rey, unable to steal moments to study. It's a slow night at least. He doesn't have to entertain as many customers. Ben stared at the store entrance, as if that would make the process any faster.

A group of middle aged women come in.

And then minutes later, a man in his twenties enters.

Ben bit his lip. His mother has also told him that Rey was also a tardy person. He honestly doesn't know why his mother hasn't lost her temper with the girl. The girl was more trouble than anything.

A girl comes walking in. A young girl. High schooler probably. He was about to overlook her until he noticed her carrying a blue vest. It catches him off guard because yes his mother hired people at least eighteen years old but the girl looked younger than that. He keeps busy at the register, sweeping as he discretely watched the girl walk into the back to clock in.

She's cute, he thinks as she makes her way to the registers. Tiny. The animosities he had for the girl faded in the background as he saw her for the first time. She had the face that you couldn't be upset with. Large puppy dog eyes. Soft mouth. Faint freckles. She was nervous, probably because she knew who he was. Or probably because he was tall.

"Miss Leia says you don't have to stay anymore," she says.

He blinked. He didn't really paid attention over the phone but she had a nice voice. Clear and soothing, a complete contrast to his. "It's fine. I'm already here."

Rey nodded stiffly. "Okay. Well I'm on register duty too so you don't have to stay here if you don't want to."

Ben scanned the store first. To make sure there wasn't any customers around. "You know I want to speak to you, don't you?"

She nodded meekly. "I do."

He nodded back. "Good," he stated. "I know of your situation but you're not the only one that has things going on in their lives. That's no excuse."

The girl exhaled. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm trying, honestly I am."

"It's just a warning. My mother is a kind person and I don't like whenever someone takes advantage of that."

"I'm very thankful for her. She's very accommodating, none of my previous bosses are like her."

Ben exhaled and bit his lip. It was apparent by her words that this girl was unable to keep a job long term. He wonders how many jobs this girl had before this place. Two? Three? Four? Or maybe more. "If you continue to call out, you're going to have to deal with me," he said firmly. He doesn't have the control of firing his mother's workers but he can intimidate them.

Rey nodded. "I understand. I'm sorry."

She's trembling as she's speaking to him.

Good.

* * *

The talk he had with Rey seems to work. His mother calls him less and it gives him more time to focus on himself and his life. His paid internship was coming to an end and he needs to find another place for work. Any place really until the next season for paid internships and positions come in.

Ben likes to be making money anytime he could with the cost of living being so high.

Mom offers for him to work at her shop until he finds something.

He tells his mom he'll let her know for working at his mother's shop wasn't dignified. Ben doesn't mind working at low level jobs but working at your mother's business as an entirely different story. As much as he loved his mother, she was smothering. Ben likes having his own space.

It's his mom's birthday today but she never takes a day off work. He gets that from her. He stops by the shop with flowers and a box of cupcakes from her favorite bakery. He's going to take her out later in the evening to get dim sum.

Mom hugs him tightly, crushing the flowers and all.

He doesn't say anything because she's happy. He held his tongue as the cupcakes were being crushed. His mother doesn't seem to notice at all.

"You're such a sweet boy," his mother smiles. She goes on her tiptoes to kiss him.

Ben lets her, bends down so his little mother could reach. It's embarrassing. He's a grown man but it's his mother's birthday. He pulls away when he sees a person coming towards them from the corner of his eye.

It's Rey except she's not in her vest. He can tell it was her day off for she was wearing shorts and a tank top - inappropriate work attire clothes. And she was also holding a baby. Her baby. Ben couldn't help but to stare at the sight. He knows Rey was a mom but she looks too young and small to be. And it was more evident by the size comparison. The baby girl was about a few months old or so but looked massive in her arms. Rey was smiling at his mother, holding a small three flower bouquet of flowers in her free hand. "Happy birthday Miss Leia!" Rey exclaimed.

"Thank you dear - my has Jessie grown since the last time I last saw her!" Leia cooed.

"She has!" she laughed. "She's getting so big I can barely hold her."

The baby was chubby. Rolls and all. Ben can't fathom how Rey was able to deliver her baby with her being so tiny. Rey must have had a C section, he gathered.

"Can I hold her?" Leia asked.

"Of course." Rey practically gives her baby to his mother. If that was Ben's baby he wouldn't be carelessly letting strangers hold his child even if the person was his boss.

His mother holds the child tight in awe. "You are just so precious," his mother said fondly.

Jessie giggles and tugs on his mother's earrings.

"Oh hi Ben," Rey said then. She tucks a lock of her hair behind her hair. "Look we got the same flowers for your mom."

He nods. "It appears so." Except he got his mother a large bouquet while Rey got his mother a five dollar one. He doesn't say that for he knows Rey makes minimum wage and has a baby. His mom loves sunflowers regardless of the quantity or quality.

"Your flowers are much prettier," Rey comments.

He doesn't respond but Rey doesn't seem to notice. She's focused on her baby, making sure everything was alright.

The baby looks nothing like her. And it has him wondering if the father was around.

* * *

Ben takes on his mother's offer. It was only logical. Work at his mother's place until he finds a job. He estimates he'll be here at most two months. Rey called out last night. Probably because she couldn't find a sitter. He doesn't ask his mother for it wasn't his business.

She's here tonight with him and he can tell she's anxious ever since he gave her that talk a while ago. People are always on edge around him. He knows he's intimidating.

"How is your baby?" he asked as they were sorting go backs.

"She's fi-ne," Rey stuttered. And that was that. She's so talkative with everyone else except him. She's just on her best behavior with him being his mother's son.

Ben nods.

"How is school?" she asked then.

He couldn't help but to perk up for she as engaging in a conversation with him for the first time. "It's going fine. Nothing special. I'm doing well. You?"

"I don't go to school."

"Why?" Ben bit his lip as he realized he asked something sensitive. He didn't mean to it just happened. Now she'll feel pressured to respond. Ben couldn't help but to feel guilty. He's been trying to get better with social cues.

"I don't really have the time with my daughter still being so young," she seems flustered. "And I can't really afford it."

"Oh, well that's okay," he said simply. "You're still young - how old are you?" He bit his lip as he realized he asked another personal question. His mother says never to ask a woman her age for it was disrespectful. It was really obvious not to and yet it just slipped. Ben doesn't know why he was being so stupid.

"I'm eighteen," Rey mumbled.

Ben blinked. "Oh," he stopped himself altogether. She must have had her baby around seventeen then. In her senior year of high school.

"And you?"

"Twenty four."

"I thought you were older for some reason."

He raised his eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah with the way your mom always talks about wanting you to find time to date in your busy schedule," Rey laughed.

His cheeks grew hot. He wonders if his mother told Rey that he's never went on a date before.

"She's just eager in having a baby around that's all," Rey assured him. "She knows you'll find someone whenever you want to."

Somehow he doubts that. He's never been able to find a girl that was interested in him.

* * *

Rey keeps pictures of her baby in her locker. He glances them ever so often. Not like he purposely looks - it's just in his peripheral view that's all. He couldn't help but to be curious about Rey. Everything about her was so intriguing to him. Her life was so colorful. Unknown with it being unplanned. He assumes the baby was an unplanned pregnancy.

He wonders about her living situation - if she lived with her parents or with her boyfriend or by herself. He wonders if the father was around. Ben assumes she and the father aren't together because she never talks about the father. He hopes the father was around for the baby at least.

And that itself was another can of worms.

He wonders about what kind of person the father is. If he was a nice person or not. If Rey regrets having sex with the father of her child.

It wasn't a big deal anyways, Rey was pretty and sweet. And Ben knows that there are a million of men in the world who would want her despite of her situation. She would never be interested in someone like him, with him being on the spectrum. He's not stupid or anything - he just has trouble with social cues and social settings. And Rey probably wants to have more kids in the future and he knows that most people don't want to have partners with unfavorable genes.

She certainly doesn't want to be with a man with less experience than her either. Ben has never been with a woman and he knows women don't like that in a man. Especially with him being older than her too. He's never been on a date let alone been physical with a woman.

"Are you going to go bowling tonight?" Rey asked him.

She's talking about his mother's monthly bonding night she does with her workers. This theme this month was bowling.

"No," he said flatly. It's not his thing, social situations.

Rey frowned. "Oh I was hoping you were going to go."

"Why?" he raised his eyebrow.

"It would be nice for everyone to go."

"Is your daughter going?" he asked.

"No," Rey giggled.

"I thought you said everyone though."

"I would love to bring her but I don't think that's the right time and place for her."

"I'm sure my mother and the rest of our coworkers would be happy for your daughter to go."

"Do you think so?"

Ben's face furrowed. "Well, yeah. Of course," he couldn't help but to be dumbfounded. She seemed so oblivious about how obvious it was. "Everyone loves your daughter."

"Do you think anyone will be annoyed or think I ruined the night?"

"They're all older women with grown children, they all miss having a baby around."

Rey perks up then. "I'll ask Miss Leia first just in case."

"That's fair. You have to be courteous."

"If Miss Leia says yes to Jessie going, would you go?" she asked slowly.

"I really don't want to though." Ben doesn't want to be seen with his mother and middle aged women. He'll be laughed at. He always gets laughed at. A person his age should be going out with his friends - except he doesn't have any.

Rey frowned. "Oh okay."


End file.
